Crook Bilks Book Office Out of $150

A clever crook, possibly an undergraduate, has fraudulently obtained over $150 worth of books and equipment from the Counsellor for Veterans over the past two terms.

Using two false names, a forged book authorization card, and a stamp stolen from the Veterans Office, the hunted man has victimized bookstores around the Square since last September. Yard police are aiding Counsellor for Veterans John U. Monro '34 in the case.

Senses Trap

Warned to be on the lookout for a "Herbert R. Gross," one Square bookstore gave a description of the crook last Friday when he presented an authorization using the false name. "Gross," who is presumed to be a student, apparently sensed a trap and left the store before he could be apprehended.

He was described as being 27 or 28 years old, five feet seven or eight inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds, with a sallow complexion and dark hair. When last seen he was wearing a blue overcoat and no hat.

Monro Has Clues

Yesterday afternoon Monro asserted that he had some good leads on "Gross" and fully expected to catch the "first crook in all the thousands of veterans that have come through this office."

"Gross" used the name "Arthur L. Lord" during the fall term, and has listed himself as in the Class of 1949 and a student in the College. He gave Lowell D-24 (a non-existent room) as his fall term address, and is currently supposed to be residing in Winthrop D-24.

Aware of the fraud since last November, the Book Office checked bills from bookstores as they came in and last week detected the "Herbert R. Gross" authorization. Monro immediately sent warnings to the bookstores and voided all outstanding authorizations, effective on Monday of this week.

Wanted Science Books

"Gross" was identified when he tried to get a copy of "The Theory of Function" for Engineering 35b.

Both "Gross" and "Lord" concentrated their buying in the field of Applied Science, with a few books in Engineering, Mathematics, and romance languages. In the fall term, "Lord" acquired two slide rules, one of them an expensive circular model, with the forged orders.

Monro said the crook took advantage of extreme confusion in Memorial Hall to get his authorizations last fall, but apparently acquired a stamp some time in February and just by-passed the spring term book lines. Different book cards, with different numbers, were used